The present invention relates generally to hard disk drives, and, more specifically, to air bearing sliders therein.
In a direct access storage device (DASD) commonly referred to as a hard disk drive, data is magnetically stored on a spinning data platter or disk using a data access element configured to magnetically read or write data, or both. The data access element is mounted in a slider attached to a pivoting suspension arm for selectively positioning the slider and element at desired locations across the surface of the disk. The slider is configured with one or more air bearing pads which develop air bearings atop the spinning disk for providing lift to limit physical contact between the slider and disk during operation.
Sliders are found in various configurations since they are critical to the proper operation of the disk drive for accurately suspending the data access element atop the disk for writing data thereto or reading therefrom. Physical contact between the slider and disk is undesirable since it may damage the disk leading to data loss therein, or in the worst case a disk crash rendering the disk drive useless.
The disk and slider are typically mounted in a substantially sealed enclosure having an ambient air environment therein. The environment is substantially free of contaminants, although contaminants such as micron size debris are nevertheless present, or are created internally. Over continued operation of the disk drive, such small debris may accumulate along the leading edges of the bearing pads which reduces or closes the spacing between the pads and the spinning disk. This space defines an air inlet for the pad and allows the air bearing to develop between the pad and spinning disk. Debris accumulation on the pad leading edge is undesirable since it closes the pad inlet and reduces the effectiveness of the air bearing with a corresponding reduction or loss of lift. A reduction in the slider lifting force may then allow the slider to physically contact the spinning disk causing undesirable damage thereof and the possibility of a disk crash.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved slider wherein the air bearing pads are protected from undesirable debris accumulation thereon.